The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-09-09

on chin. cheeks and upper lip. knew
him q once. although be looked old
and III. but 10 stared q me blankIy.
~ didn't hear You drive in the yard.
am" he said. in mild. apclogetic
tone. Then he put on his spectacles.
''Why. it's you. Janet" he exclaimed.
''Why. come IN! ! heard you was OK
pectcd back this fall. and here you DO;
but there amt soul home but me and
Miranda. all the rest having gone over
10 Nine Partners Corners 70 funeral
Cousin Silas' wife's funeral. and IL
lucky couldn't 20 on account Of hav-
ing had = mean cold for week"
He led me into the sitting-room.
which was not changed In the least *
cept for new oilcloth table cover. AL
| shect-iron stove sent out a quivering
heat, paper pinwheel ON the top |
whirling around furiously in the hot
curren. Of air. and through the bits Of
isinglass the balefuI CLEAN Of the fire
shonc red. After had taken on hat
and jacket and sat down in high
backed rocking chair. Uncle Eph be-
gan to tell me all that had happened
in the last three years; but we soon
drifted into talk Of the remote past
when Mary and had been wont to
break young steers to the yoke. or try
10. and he related anecdotes Of our
pranks as II I must have forgotten
them. II seemed 70 give him pleasure,
and he rambled from one thing to an
other until Miranda. an old colored
woman who had always been old, and
always lived with the Groots. came
into the sitting-room to bring cider
and crullers. and TO see the visitor.
She needed no spectacles TO recognize
me. but while her eyes were as sharp
as ever. she had grown SO deaf that all
my attempts TO say pleasant things
were efforts made in vain. She trotted
back to the kitchen and ] heard her
cracking hickory-nuts. She remem-
! bercd how fond was Of them.
miranda is agcing fast" said Uncle
Eph. "and 50 we all are. except you
and Mary. Mary. she's thinking Of
getting married in the spring. but we
don't know how we can spare her.
! Did you pick up = sweetheart over
there in Europe?"
l shook my head and he added
"Well, guess It Is just rs good you
didn't. Getting married 10 = great
risk"
This was a remark he had been max
ing for many years, and although ~
3 was Of simple. confiding nature
none % the designing country spinster'
or widows could cajole him out Of BIZ
: bachelorhood. He seemed perfect!
= satisfied 10 dwell under his brother
:. roof and spoil his brothers children
. Mary and the rest used to impose upoI
" him, for lie could refuse US nothing
% while Uncle George Groot, who ownes
= the farm, would sometimes scold Us o.
- box our ears. Uncle Eph yielded to on
:: most unreasonable demands without
q murmur. He was wcll-to-do, like q
y the family. and the dairy was his spe
~ cial care. He would start out befor
- daybrea to serve milk to bis custom
o. ers In town. and return late in tn
e forenoon, reading the newspaper TO n
~ music OF the juggling empty tin can
"a Yes" he repeated, 'getting MAJ
y ricd is great risk. got married NJ.
=, self Just after you went away. hut
~ hadn't ought to have done il. for vi
s. close on to sixty. and ! want cut O
- for husband"
- sMarried!" / exclaimed. ''Nobot
!. wrote me word about it."
"Wcll, IL want much u MARI
: but I'll tell you about Il before 4
u folks come home. George don't tai
\. the right view Of il; George, he don
- more'n half know mc--he don't n
q derstand me at all. Now. it's cur US
Uncle Eph continued. in a reflect
q, tone, show there can be a streak in
~ man that don't show till he gets Of
I. and then all Of a sudden crops out
q. He rose, and taking his pipe from =
q. mantel filed II neatly. pressing Z
- tobacco down with his blunt thumb
me II s'pose. Janet, that you think i
~ ! GOOD natercd old fcllow?"
nv "Yes, and kind o'given to soft-sa
lie der. ch?" nodded.
cut EASY. going and cleverr Well,
~. amt nothing q the sort like 70 4
ed loud. and stomp. and swear. and chu
the plates"
~ He stood before me holding = mat
MA until the sulphurous flame caught :
INV wood. picture Of . mild, serene. <
mi, able old man. Because he was sts
nd ing in the house. he wore gay I
,sc. and yellow drcssing-gow and : p
il Of knitted slippers. and white har
ncd kerchicf tied about his neck lent 9
an tain benign look TO his face. After
ted had lighted his pipe. he took =
.ol- spoonful Of mixture from tumble
ind the mantel and then sat down ag'
ecs beside me, saying:
ere You know the Bcrrysy'
md s.They keep grocery store In Clo'
In street. don't theyP"
wn Yes, old Peter used TO keep
store, and when he died his son u
- H.